Itsuka had to wonder just how did she end up first on the theoretical.
The midterms earlier seated her at the lowest podium, behind Shishida and Monoma, but it seemed that the additional help from Yaomomo helped her in turning the tables on the phantom thief. Conversely, it seemed that 1A's presence was enough to throw off his groove; even still, he ended up third. Maria was fourth and Honenuki rounded up the top five.
The rest of her class struggled a little more. "I can't believe I made it." Awase (19th) mumbled to himself, staring at the returned theoretical. "Yaomomo's both a saint and a miracle worker."
"Yaomomo, huh?~" Tsuburaba (20th) grinned teasingly. The headband-wearing boy flushed.
"S-shut it! It's just easier to say than Yaoyorozu, is all…"
"Don't let Monoma hear you or he might legit have a stroke." Kamakiri (12th) shook his head, eyes wandering over to the still-out-of-his-groove blond.
"Well, the hard part's been dealt with!" Tetsutetsu (15th) pumped his fist up with a grin. "Now all we need to do is beat up some robots and it's off to the summer camp!"
"Where did you hear it's going to be robots anyway?" Rin (10th) asked with a raised eyebrow.
"From Kendo. She has a friend in a senior hero class, turns out, and they told her that it's always robots."
"...you just jinxed us." Yui (8th) said quietly.
"You say that, but what else are they going to do?" Kaibara (18th) piped up from his spot. "I bet they have some custom nasties made up for the exam, but otherwise it's probably going to be robots."
"It shouldn't be anything quite as dreadful as the Zero Pointer monstrosity." Reiko (11th) hummed. "...perhaps they have made a breakthrough and developed a new type of a metal menace altogether."
"What, like a Zero-and-a-half-Pointer?" Manga (7th; he himself couldn't believe it!) inquired with a thinking emoji in his speech bubble.
"I bet we can beat it up no sweat!" Tetsutetsu's enthusiasm just couldn't be stymied after conquering what he thought to be the more difficult part of the exams. "Real Steel doesn't fold easily!"
"I thought folded steel is stronger than normal?" Pony (17th) asked quietly. Honenuki bit back a laugh, imagining Tetsutetsu being folded like an origami crane.
"Alright, class, settle down." Vlad King walked into the classroom, watching the students take their seats. "First of all, congratulations on passing to all of you. I'm sure all of you did your very best." Setsuna (9th) shifted a little uneasily in her seat; she barely studied to begin with, if she was being honest. In the back, Maria shifted in her own seat, though for different reasons. "Now, you might have already heard how the practical part of your finals will look like." Their teacher let the thought hang in the air for a little bit before continuing. "Gear up and come outside. The buses will transport you to the training grounds."
Elsewhere…
Kurogiri searched everywhere through the crumbling fortress of Mensis. The last thing he remembered was falling for an obvious trap and getting the lights knocked out of him by Edgar. How much time has passed since he came to? Where was Shigaraki? Why was the fortress collapsing on itself to begin with?
This betrayal from Mensis was entirely expected; yet, something told him that something about it was a part of Master's plan. Someone like him would no doubt tell the real intentions of these faulty scholars. But why go through all this trouble? What did the Mensis gain from this betrayal to begin with?
Well, none of this would matter if he couldn't find Shigaraki in time.
It seemed that the fortress was a part of Micolash's Quirk. With his absence, it would stand to reason that it would start collapsing, considering its nature seemed different from other physical Quirks. It was not something like a fire-making Quirk, which would leave behind flame that could, given the right circumstances, spread on its own. Micolash appeared to be the "core" of the fortress; without him, the entire thing just couldn't function.
Not that it stopped the local critters from trying to kill him on every corner. Most at least seemed content to focus on the rank-and-file of Mensis, both the masked men and the few scholars that passed by without a word. Their bodies were scattered all over the crumbling corridors and halls. Would this happen from Micolash's initiative? It seemed counterproductive at best.
Narrowly dodging another of the split-grinned creatures and using a warp gate to fling a piece of debris right between its eyes, Kurogiri's steps quickened. Where on Earth would Shigaraki even be?! There had to be a place in this accursed castle which would keep him caged, somewhere where Decay wouldn't find purchase...
Something blinked into Kurogiri's field of view, something completely at odds with this entire infernal hellscape, accompanied by a cry of an infant: a black baby stroller. One of the straggling beasts, this one a more conventional werewolf, attempted to take a lunge at the stroller, only to find itself impaled and then tossed aside by a giant curved blade, almost as long as the beast was tall.
Another creature, the owner of the blade, emerged from seemingly nowhere, as if it dripped off the wall and formed from shadows. This one Kurogiri struggled to describe even as it filled out the corridor with its frame, both towering and skeletal, imposing and sickly. With six arms and an old hooded shawl wrapped around the figure, it was hard to tell just who – or what – hid under these layers.
Without pause, it cut a falling piece of debris into four parts before it could hit the stroller, the bits of rock harmlessly landing away from the baby. The creature wasn't satisfied with this level of protection yet, slowly enveloping the stroller with its massive robe. It moved in complete silence despite the jewelry it was adorned with. Now, Kurogiri realized, it was sizing him up as yet another threat to the baby. Was this creature the Gigantomachia of Mensis, perhaps? Their trump card? Would such a thing be abandoned so callously?
Perhaps there was more to this "betrayal" than he first assumed. "...I mean no harm. I'm merely looking for my own ward." He stated quietly, maintaining the eye-contact (presumably) with the creature. It remained motionless, blades at the ready. "...if you know where I can find a young man covered in hands, then please, tell me." The creature's head slowly inclined down, as if it was seeking the opinion of the baby hidden under the layers. Kurogiri remained as patient as he could be, even with another piece of the ceiling collapsing right behind him.
The creature's blade reached out – slowly, without a killing intent – and extended towards Kurogiri. It didn't seem like it was using it to show him the right direction; instead, it seemed the Warp Gate user was expected to touch the blade. In light of his massively limited options, this madness seemed reasonable enough. He tapped the flat part of the blade, feeling it thrum with strange energies – before he recoiled with a startled gasp. If not for his Quirk, no doubt he would cut his hand on the edge.
There was knowledge in his mind now. "...I see." He said quietly, memorizing the coordinates passed by the contact, trying to ignore that dull pain spreading throughout him, from the brain and downward. The creature tilted its head. "Then, if you wish to come with, the path shall be open – and then further still, out of this fortress."
The creature watched him create a portal, its head inclining down again before it opted to follow. At the time, a gentle laugh of a child accompanied them as they crossed the portal.
Elsewhere still…
"...what do you mean, Mr. Chisaki?" Alfred could not help but feel his lips tighten in apprehension. At the table sat the ringleader of this roguish outfit and Eri's uncle, hands tented together. It seemed his attention was mainly on the shogi board as he considered his next move and the Executioner was merely a secondary distraction. His opponent, in a white raincoat and a plague doctor-like mask, remained silent.
Alfred was summoned here about a matter concerning Eri. Now, he had to make sure he didn't mishear. "First of all, it's "Overhaul", not "Chisaki". The boss corrected him with only the slightest of annoyed tinges in his voice, although not annoyed enough to actually look at the Executioner. "This is only an umpteenth time I told you this. Second: you are relieved from your duty as Eri's caretaker."
"...on the grounds of…?"
"On the grounds of "the boss said so", nitwit!" A little puppet-like shape – with a beak of its own; these seemed to just be the Hassaikai's fashion – shook its tiny fist at Alfred. Overhaul shook his head.
"It's fine, Mimic. He deserves to know." The tiny puppet huffed, but decided not to push the issue. Alfred knew this routine very well; Mimic – or Irinaka – played the bad constable together with others while Overhaul – Chisaki – was the good constable instead, offering (condescending) diplomacy and a reasonable tone. And yet, he took an awful long time to actually pick up the conversation, first moving one of the pieces on the board.
"Long story short, you're a bad influence on Eri. I'll dispatch one of the rank-and-file grunts on the position instead." Alfred blinked. He? A "bad influence"? He was the only one who still cared about the humanity of this girl in the first place! "Putting hopeful ideas in her head will only give her and this entire operation trouble."
"I'm sure she's not planning to run anymore. Not after the incident with the Vileblood." The man in a whitecoat – Chrono, real name Kurono, because Japanese wasn't confusing enough for Alfred yet – moved a piece on the board.
"This incident – or rather, your measured response to it – is why there is storm brewing on the horizon. Mimic." The little puppet bounced over to a nearby desk, picking up a folder. The first photo Irinaka pulled out of it was a shot from one of the surveillance cameras located on the outside of the Hassaikai compound; a monochrome depiction of a winged man flying through the air.
"You know who this chicken is, sonny-boy?!" Mimic barked, slapping the folder against Alfred's leg. "This is only the third-best pro in the country, just casually flying by like he's on a fucking joyride!"
"...that doesn't necessarily mean anything." Overhaul moved a piece on the board before he turned to regard the Executioner.
"If that doesn't concern you, then I'll remind you what Grand Vicar Laurence said is your job here." Alfred's eyes narrowed. "You are the Healing Church's liaison with us, and nothing else. You are overseeing the operations concerning Eri, and nothing else." Alfred's eyes narrowed further. Chrono stopped mid-moving the piece, eyes wandering towards the increasingly agitated Executioner. "The Hassaikai appreciates the partnership with the Church, and the technology provided to make the process easier – but I made it clear that internal issues will be solved among us."
"...this is…"
"Eri is mine, Executioner. Your master will get his due once we refine the product – but until then, you are not to approach her until I say you can." Silence. "Are we understood?"
"He asked if we're understood, dumbass!" Mimic growled once Alfred proved tardy to answer. Overhaul did not rush him. The man was a hothead, with sick ideas of zealotry plaguing his brain – but he was smart enough to know that defiance would yield him no fruit. This was the only way to try and get back to his role as Eri's caretaker, not that the boss planned to give him this privilege again. These romantic types, however, oftentimes clung to their hopes and ideals, no matter how futile it was; it helped in pulling them on a string.
Alfred himself knew that while he was given a right by the Grand Vicar to take Eri off the Hassaikai's hands "should the need arise", his wrath did not constitute for enough reason, and neither was the girl's suffering. Grand Vicar had splendid ideas for the future of humanity – but to make such an omelette, one had to break eggs first, and Eri was considered an acceptable egg to break.
"...very well." He ground out from behind his teeth. Chisaki focused back on the shogi board.
"Good. You're dismissed." Alfred turned to leave, only to have one of the rank-and-file thugs bounce into him as he ran into the office. Overhaul slowly looked towards the entrance, the shogi piece having just been put on the tile. There were some curious hive spots dotting his face, even past that ugly bird mask.
"S-sorry to intrude, boss, sir!" The thug prostrated himself in a pose of supplication right next to the Executioner, his head slamming down on the wooden floor. "T-the guy at the main door…! H-he claims he's from the Church!"
There was a moment of uncomfortable silence. Alfred's eyebrows rose even further. Overhaul looked back to the shogi board, sighed, and slowly rose to his feet. "You win this one, Kurono." Chrono merely nodded before rising after the boss. "And? Anyone can claim that." His voice didn't turn even slightly different, but the air around him certainly did. It was a subtle change, something akin to a cat that moves from idling about to finding its victim.
"H-h-he gave me this, s-sir!" The lackey lifted a tiny trinket, a badge made out of metal and adorned with a gemstone, shaped like an eye. Chisaki wouldn't have thought twice of such a thing if he saw it on the storefront or worn by some vapid teenager if not for one detail about the gemstone.
Within the precious thing swirled the very cosmos. "Executioner?" Alfred frowned, regarding the trinket. Overhaul didn't take it yet, no doubt expecting something to go off the moment he did. Alfred was being asked for reassurance in this particular case.
"This belongs to a member of the Choir. There is no possibility of it being a trap." There was, naturally, but Alfred wasn't under an impression that Grand Vicar was tired of his yakuza pets yet. The Choirman had to have approached independently, perhaps concerning a separate issue. He had little contact with these, as did most hunters of the Church; they usually kept to themselves as magisters and doctors of the institution. Theirs were the ideas that pushed towards ascension.
...so what on earth was one doing here, in this base hellpit? "Right. Mimic, see him inside. Chrono, make sure Eri's nowhere near." Overhaul pocketed the badge and turned to look at Alfred. As for you" The bare hand tapped the lackey's shoulder. The man didn't even get to see it coming, too busy hoping he would be spared Chisaki's wrath.
Instead, he exploded into a ball of gore, his body all but atomized into a crimson stain on the floor. A horrible death, though presumably quick enough that the thug felt it only for a fraction. Overhaul grunted in displeasure, flicking the errant red off his fingertips. "you clean that mess up." The three yakuza ringleaders left Alfred in the room with the bloody stain, heedless of his fists balling into fists.
The final exam involved fighting against the UA staff.
A total of ten pairs would square up against ten teachers. To make things fair, the educators would wear special gear that would slow them down and drain their stamina. Supposedly, they added half of the user's body weight to them. Then again, apparently Hatsume made them; if anyone could make this thing work, it was her.
"That's anime AF though!" Manga seemed in good spirits even despite the grueling task ahead. He and Pony would be fighting their Maths teacher, Ectoplasm.
"I know, right?!" Pony nodded along. The two of them were given some time to prepare before the battle. They had one of two objectives to fulfill: either capture the teacher by using the provided handcuffs or escape the battle grounds through a designated gate. Thirty minutes seemed like enough to get that handled… right? "So… what should we do?"
"Well, I bet even with those weights on, Ectoplasm can beat us up easily, so… make for the gate?" That made sense for Pony, but she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed with the notion. They were training to be heroes; they couldn't just run away from every threat, real or else. Manga caught her frowning. "Something on your mind, Tsunotori?"
"...maybe we should try and capture him?" A question mark showed up just behind the comic page-like mask that her teammate wore. Realizing that she'd have to explain her reasoning beyond the "it's the right thing to do" spiel, Pony nodded resolutely. "I think Mr. Ectoplasm expects us to try and run. They said that the matchups were made to explode…" She took a moment to think if this was the right word. "explode? Our weaknesses."
"Exploit, yeah." Ah, she was off by a little, looked like. "But then won't we have a hard time trying to fight him then?" They didn't specify what these weaknesses could be, but Manga had a guess: the two of them were mostly long-ranged fighters who didn't do well up close, and Ectoplasm could create numerous clones of himself, anywhere and with little warning.
"I guess we'll figure it out?"
"...okay, this is kinda crazy, but you know the motto of this school." Manga offered her a fistbump and an unseen grin. "Go beyond?" Pony beamed happily, returning the gesture with an enthusiastic "Plus Ultra!".
Awase didn't imagine himself having to fight his own Principal, even for an exam.
What would Nezu even do? Maybe he had some crazy moves he would put on him and Tsuburaba both? Or maybe he'd just sic Villain Bots at them? And how did Ground Gamma benefit him or inhibit them? "Got a master plan?" The Air Barrier user queried with a hum.
"Not really, no. Trying to figure out where the gate out of here might be." Yosetsu grumbled, trying to make sense of the layout before them. "This place's a maze, and neither of us have the kind of Quirk that'll let us bulldoze through."
"We could capture him easily once we get to him—"
"If, Tsuburaba. I refuse to believe Nezu of all people would go down like a chump to the two of us."
"Ehhh… I don't know about that. Plenty of great pros aren't all that good in a fight." Awase shot him an unimpressed look.
"Name one." Kousei opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again.
"...uh…"
"Yeah, exactly. Nezu might look like my sister's plush toy, but he's not the principal of UA for nothing. I just… don't know what he'll do against us." It seemed the principal was happy to explain it himself, in a manner of speaking.
Because the moment the starting signal rang out, Ground Gamma started collapsing all around them.
Apparently it was more difficult for UA to create the right kind of matchups for their class than 1A.
Honenuki had a general idea why he was pitted against Power Loader; Support Course's supervisor's Quirk allowed him to destabilize ground and create pitfalls with his claws, limiting Juzo's mobility on the otherwise plain empty field. What about Kodai though? If it was about her needing additional items to boost her Quirk, of which there were none in here? But that only spoke about the unfavorable arena, not the particular weakness she would have against someone like Power Loader.
Guess they were covering bases by picking the right grounds for the fight too. "We should run." Yui nodded, gesturing towards the gate. Their opponent made no attempts at sneaking around, happy to stand right in front of it. Honenuki nodded along. Trying to capture someone who could so easily affect the terrain would just get them bogged down, especially if he was careless about using Softening.
"Got anything we can distract him with?" Yui hummed, tapping the cap of her costume – and then jostling slightly in place, producing a couple of bolts and screws.
"Tried to smuggle in a car." Her brows furrowed in a look that Honenuki had to assume was disappointment. "Vlad-sensei caught me."
"...a car? Like, the whole thing?"
"I picked a wreck off Takoba Beach when it was still full of clutter." She shrugged. "For special occasions. I tried to smuggle it for the festival, too."
Juzo made a mental note to never piss Kodai off.
Fate must have been laughing at Kinoko today.
The teacher lineup for the exams was different compared to what 1A went through. Present Mic was taken off the roster once he almost turned the earphone girl deaf with his Quirk. Recovery Girl was told that he was given a terrible dressing-down. Since then, he was replaced with Hound Dog; Rin and Kaibara were taking him on.
The other missing teacher was All Might. Apparently there was some pressing business he had to attend outside of school just before the exams (and apparently both Midoriya and Bakugo who fought him got put through terrible paces, too), so a replacement had to be found post-haste. For a moment, Kinoko feared that she and Kamakiri – her unlikely partner for this fight – might have to take their chances another time. And yet, they found someone who, for this purpose, could perform almost as well as the Number One Hero.
Kinoko wished it was literally anyone else than Endeavor.
She wasn't sure how flammable Kamakiri was, but her mushrooms definitely were at a disadvantage against fire. Any humid air would dry out from the temperature, making producing spores difficult. And, of course, the fact that it was Endeavor standing there, looking like he'd rather be anywhere but here, rankled her fierce.
She doubted Midoriya would go around telling people about this and it seemed unlikely the staff knew anything, either. This was just a big, unlucky coincidence. She briefly wondered if she'd make the news if she choked Endeavor out with a mushroom before shaking her head with a frustrated huff. This was not the time for levity. Whether she liked it or not, that hot flaming piece of crap stood between them and passing, and the summer camp.
"...alright, Komori, I've had it." She blinked, turning to see Kamakiri scowling at her from behind his domino mask. "Ever since the festival, you've been bristling the moment someone mentioned Endeavor over there." He gestured with his beard towards the giant flaming figure at the gate. The exam was just about to begin as the two of them assessed their chances. "Now you look like you're about to try and kick him in the dick. What's up?"
"...it's nothing."
"...Komori, I don't mean to be an ass for once, but if we fail because of your hate boner towards the guy—"
"Look, it's fine. I promise." She huffed, shaking her head. "I'm just… I've been mush stressed last week, with what happened to Maria, and the exams, and… had a lot to think about."
"Yeah, and right now we need to figure out how to take this brick shithouse down. Like, right now." Kamakiri shook his head. "So if you have any ideas, I'd love to hear 'em." Then, in an uncharacteristic display of concern for another being, he put his hand on Kinoko's shoulder. "And once we pass, spill what's on your mind. Scream it into the clouds or tell someone you trust. Or some shit." He grunted, looking away annoyed.
"I, uh… didn't expect that from you, Kamakiri."
"Let's just say that I have experience about not speaking my mind when it mattered. Also, you didn't hear that pep talk from me, or I'll make pickled shrooms out of you, capiche?" Kinoko smiled wryly.
"Capiche, shroom. And… thanks for that. I'll try."
"Damn straight you will. Now, let's plan this out before he burns this whole block down."
As it turned out, Maria had to fight after all.
Aizawa seemed just a touch unsatisfied with her overall performance. Or, perhaps, she was simply expected to fight even in spite of the fact that she would fail the exercise either way. A hero's job was to take the impossible odds and face them with a cheeky grin, as befitting the example of the Symbol of Peace. How ironic that All Might could not be here to adhere to these beliefs, instead replaced with Todoroki's irascible father. Hopefully Kinoko and Kamakiri would be fine.
There was no doubt a connection between the Number One Hero and the young man with green hair who he seemed to be particularly fond of. She had no opportunity to find Midoriya and press him for further info and it seemed she would not be able to do so during the summer break. Those fortunate enough to pass were going somewhere to further refine their skills and socialize with their hero peers.
Apparently no less than four people in 1A have failed their finals.
And now, she and Monoma were picked to face her master in a martial test. They were either to capture him or to escape past his notice. The phantom thief seemed confident enough in their skill, at least. "I do have to wonder why Vlad-sensei though. Well, it's obvious on your part, but I feel like I'm lacking insight about my presence here."
"It should not matter either way." She shook her head. "As I am fated to fail this test, feel free to slip by unnoticed while I engage Master Kan in battle." Monoma tutted disapprovingly. Maria's eyebrow rose.
"That sounds like something someone from Class A would do, Maria." He smiled wryly. "We either win together or lose together. Besides, I expect Vlad-sensei knows the way you think enough to not let me get away so easily."
"That so? Then how do you plan on engaging him?" This time, Neito's eyebrow rose.
"How do you mean?"
"You would like to copy my Quirk for this exam, correct?"
"With your permission, of course." There would be times when Monoma wouldn't be able to get such, but for the time being, he wanted to keep things civil. The two of them strove to become heroes, and he doubted those who failed the practical would just be left to languish in obscurity for the summer. That seemed greatly at odds with a school whose motto was "Go Beyond", no?
"You will not have it." Well, that… changed things. Monoma blinked, feeling something in his gut twist with a growing recognition.
"Why is that, Maria?"
"You know this Quirk to be cursed. It is not so just because of my opinion; the finer workings of it would no doubt cause you harm."
"You don't need to worry about that. The copying lets me understand the nature of the Quirk enough to use it competently."
"No, Monoma. Not this one." This time Neito couldn't help but frown. There were no doubts many facets of handling that Quirk, but it certainly wasn't any more complicated than some other Quirks in class or among 1A. Speaking of whom...
"I've copied Todoroki's Quirk before. I'm sure I can—"
"No, Monoma. I will not repeat myself again." Was this the reason they were paired together? Because the staff – or, perhaps, Vlad-sensei specifically – knew that Muradasilova would not let him copy her Quirk and therefore inhibit them both?
Neito might not have looked like it, but he worked out hard to compliment the nature of his Quirk. He learned some martial arts, parkour, kept up in shape. He might not have been as built like Tetsutetsu or as rigorous as Kendo, but he did his best. Without a Quirk to copy, he was functionally Quirkless. It was a realization that hit him upside the head many a time, even despite his efforts not to think about it.
And now, Muradasilova refused to play ball. "Stick to the plan and you will get to go to the summer camp."
"You don't have a plan. There is no plan to make when you won't let me help." His annoyed look was met with a quiet glower. Monoma refused to budge. "All of us will go to the summer camp, as we should. You will fail this exam because of external circumstances, not because you were inadequate. That won't cross you out."
"Why do you care?"
"What do you mean, "what do you care?"?!" Monoma threw his hands up into the air exasperatedly. "Why wouldn't I? You're my classmate. I like to think you're also my friend. You're my fellow hero in training, and with this we can get a one-up over 1A, too—"
"Ah. There it is." Neito felt as if someone slapped him, recoiling with a betrayed look on his face. "That nonsensical jealousy plaguing your thoughts, that this is some sort of a competition between our two classes."
"That's not… I mean, that's only one of the reasons—"
"Enough, Monoma. I will buy you an opening." She turned to face Vlad King, cracking her knuckles as she regarded their – her – opponent. "And you will use it if you wish." Neito resisted an urge to just pat her back and acquire her Quirk that way. No doubt she would see it coming – and, judging by her firmness of the matter, wring his arm out of his shoulder.
"...and if I won't use it?"
"Then you will fail."
Elsewhere…
"That is how I found you." Kurogiri concluded the report. Shigaraki nodded along, eyes sometimes wandering to the giant floaty shape that arrived with him. For some reason it was making baby noises from somewhere within the robe it wore.
"Alright. Time to get the hell out of here. You coming, Toga?" Himiko hummed, having just finished saying her goodbyes to the Mother Brain. For once, it did not involve stabbing its eyes with a knife; she merely held the broken hand of the Great One for a bit in a comforting gesture. "And you, weird… thing?" He tilted his head at the creature. It inclined its head back at him before it made a slow movement, approaching the Brain.
"I believe Mergo and his wet nurse wish to accompany the Mother Brain in its last moments." Kurogiri explained. The earlier contact with the bladed creature – to think it would be a wet nurse of all things – let him understand the unspoken and unheard language of these beings. A handy skill, although he hoped that the dull pain thrumming through him would pass sooner than later.
"Once this shit comes crashing down the pit, you two won't survive that. Hope you know that." Shigaraki pointed out.
"Maybe we could take Brain-san with us?" Himiko suggested, perking up at the idea. Kurogiri shook his head.
"Even if we were so inclined, I cannot transport a creature this large through the portals." He explained. Toga deflated almost in an instant. "...but, once again, you have our gratitude." Shigaraki shrugged, a tinge of annoyance dancing behind the mummified hand on his face.
"Can't exactly get even if you're just gonna die here." And then, the child(?) hiding inside its wet nurse's clothes laughed, the way little children laughed when something fun and welcoming happened in front of them. Shigaraki wasn't exactly an expert on that, but even he knew something about that childish trill was off.
"It seems they are confident of their survival, unlike the Mother Brain. We will hear from them yet." Right. Kurogiri was the one with the newfound language skills, so Shigaraki had to trust him on that. Yet, something caught his curiosity. The mistman talked plenty about what those two wanted, but what about…?
"...Kurogiri. Is the Brain saying anything?" He asked quietly, regarding the horrid creature sprawled in this endless void. It seemed as if its purpose was to die a horrible, ignoble death, after its captors already probed it for whatever it was that they wanted. At the very least, it would not be dying alone…
"...I cannot tell. What comes out sounds like garbled static. But… I think it wishes you and Toga fortune." Fortune, huh…? Slowly, Shigaraki approached the rotting brain. Somewhere, pieces of debris from up above started falling out into the pit. It wouldn't be long before this entire place was buried, and all who stayed here along with it.
He tapped the brain matter just above the biggest eye, with one finger, ignoring how revolting it felt. "I promise you this; you'll get to wring Cageface and Four-Eyes's necks in hell yet." Slowly, the brain's eyelids fluttered once, as if in understanding. He stepped back to where Kurogiri was opening the portal. "We'll grind them to dust and use them as an example – so that the Hero Society knows it's next."
Finals are a go. I can't tell if the pairs are matched up nicely enough, but hopefully these prep snippets and the coming fighting snippets will do nicely. For the record, here's a list of theoretical results and practical matchups:
Theoretical:
1. Itsuka Kendo 2. Jurota Shishida 3. Monoma Neito 4. Maria Muradasilova 5. Juzo Honenuki 6. Nirengeki Shoda 7. Manga Fukidashi 8. Yui Kodai 9. Setsuna Tokage 10. Hiryu Rin 11. Reiko Yanagi 12. Togaru Kamakiri 13. Kinoko Komori 14. Shihai Kuroiro 15. Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu 16. Kojiro Bondo 17. Pony Tsunotori 18. Sen Kaibara 19. Yosetsu Awase 20. Kousei Tsuburaba
Practical, in no particular order:
1. Endeavor (All Might's replacement, ha!) vs. Kinoko Komori & Togaru Kamakiri [both are weak to fire-like Quirks, Kinoko in particular]
2. Vlad King vs. Maria Muradasilova & Monoma Neito [blood Quirk v. blood Quirk + Maria's unwillingness to let Neito copy her Quirk]
3. Power Loader vs. Juzo Honenuki & Yui Kodai [Power Loader's Quirk makes it difficult to fully utilize Softening and the empty arena doesn't help Size]
4. Cementoss vs. Jurota Shishida & Tetsutetsutetsu [timed Quirks v. a Quirk excelling at defense, kinda like Kirishima and Satou's go with Cementoss]
5. Midnight vs. Kojiro Bondo & Shihai Kuroiro [Kojiro's Cemedine is difficult to utilize against Midnight's Quirk. Shihai's the odd one out, so the arena will probably account for that]
6. Ectoplasm vs. Pony Tsunotori & Manga Fukidashi [close combat expert vs. two long-ranged fighters]
7. Snipe vs. Itsuka Kendo & Nirengeki Shoda [long-ranged expert vs. two close combat fighters]
8. Thirteen vs. Setsuna Tokage & Reiko Yanagi [Black Hole inhibits Lizard Tail Splitter and overpowers Poltergeist by denying Reiko things to throw]
9. Hound Dog [Present Mic's replacement] vs. Hiryu Rin & Sen Kaibara [it's basically one experienced brawler vs. two lesser ones. I think I ran out of ideas for this one 3 ]
10. Nezu vs. Yosetsu Awase & Kousei Tsuburaba [two dumbos with Quirks that have limited offensive potential, in contrast to Mina and Kaminari who have powerful Quirks but poor control over them (and are also dumbos)]
...meanwhile, Shie Hassaikai is online, and looks like so is the Choir. Whoever it might be that represents them, and how will they factor into Hero Commission's plan to strike the Hassaikai earlier than in canon? To top it all off, Shigaraki and Toga are back in action; they'll return to their fancy bar yet to prep the new Vanguard Action Squad for the future. Lots of things happening, though we're slowly and hopefully rerouting to canon tracks, in a limited capability.
As always, I'm mighty appreciative of you, readers, and your commentary. I hope this story continues to keep you entertained. :)